Tuesday, August 23, 2011

GUEST BLOG: KATHRYNE KENNEDY

A Few of my Favorite Things about Writing

Thank you so much, LASR, for having me here today! I’m looking forward to talking with your readers!

I am so glad you asked me to talk about my favorite things about writing. I’ll get in to some of my challenges as well, but first, I’ll start with my favorite thing of all: building worlds. In order for me to write, I have to be in the scene. Be a part of the world. And so I have to work out the details, large and small, to make the world real for me. And hopefully, to make it come alive for the reader, as well. I love working out the magic and its rules. I love creating the characters that would result from this world, and starting them on their path to discovery. I love creating a place of wonder, and experiencing it as I write.

And therein lies my challenges. I have to make sure the world can reasonably exist. (For example, if I create enormous meat-eating monsters, I have to have a food source.) With magic, I can pretty much create what I want, but there has to be rules, and I have to stick to those rules when writing if I want to hold on to my belief. There has to be limits to the magic, and a cost, and it cannot be all-powerful, because then the conflict within the story would be moot. (If the hero can wave a magic wand and win the battle, what’s the point in having it in the first place?) For my characters, it’s easy to create their personalities, but not so easy to control their decisions. Although their basic values stay the same, they have the darndest way of evolving and changing and completely altering the path I set them on.

In The Lady of the Storm, my heroine, Lady Cecily, and my hero, Giles Beaumont, travel through an England altered by elven enchantments. I wove the magic of the world within the natural landscape to keep it believable, and one challenge I can remember is researching the geology of parts of England in order to create the crystal mountains of Stonehame. (I discovered that quartz is the most common stone in England…and around the world.)

I had different levels of power, based on how much elven blood a human inherited, whether the scepters were involved (tools of power the elven lords used), and natural gifts that my half-breeds inherited. I used notes to keep it all straight, but even then, I made some inconsistencies that required some rewriting.

Giles was cursed with an enchanted sword, and is a bit vain, a bit arrogant. I had no idea his vanity would set him on a course to get cursed once again. Lady Cecily wants nothing more than to be an ordinary human living a peaceful life. I knew I would set her on a path that would challenge her courage, but I didn’t realize she would find a way to not only accept a life of adventure, but to embrace it as well.

Do you find that the things you love the most often create the biggest challenges for you? I would love to hear your thoughts!

My Magical Best,
Kathryne

THE LADY OF THE STORM BY KATHRYNE KENNEDY—IN STORES AUGUST 2011

Giles is bound to protect her...

In a kingdom viciously ruled by warlike elven lords, village blacksmith Giles Beaumont reluctantly swears to protect the half-elf, half-human Cecily Sutton, never dreaming that he will fall under her enchanting spell.

But duty soon turns to desire...

When Cecily's father disappears, Cecily and Giles set out to find him. But, as their journey unfolds, duty is quickly replaced by desire—and the search for Cecily's father leads to a magical destiny that could end the rule of the elven lords forever...

Kathryne Kennedy is an acclaimed, best-selling, award-winning author of magical romances. She welcomes readers to visit her website where she has ongoing contests at http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/. She’s lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S., and currently lives with her wonderful family in Arizona, where she is working on the next book in The Elven Lords series, The Lord of Illusion (February 2012).

Leave a comment for the chance to win one of two copies of The Lady of the Storm. Open to US and Canada readers only please

I love your enchanted worlds! The thing I love the most is my family...my husband and 22 year old daughter. She also is my biggest challenge...she is bright and beautiful and I always worry about her future and coping with our ever changing world--have I given her the proper guidance to do so.

Let's see, the things I love...My family, crafting and reading. Yes they are my biggest challenges as well. My kids give me great joy but I find guiding them wisely as they mature very challenging. Finding time to craft(scrapbook) and read at times is a challenge as well. Reading is easier as it can be anywhere I have a book but scrapbooking takes SPACE and blocks of time :-) . Thanks for the giveaway, I love your fantasy worlds. glittergirl54{at]ymail[dot]com

I also love my Honey, children, and grandchildren the most! I want to do so much for them but encounter aproblem in doing TOO MUCH! I have tomake myself let go and let them dofor themselves! It's hard to do, but I have hopes of getting better at it!

Hi Kathryne, I love reading your books, and the different worlds your characters are from. Definitely a great escape and way to get away. I also enjoy reading your blogs and comments to do with how you go about writing your stories. Most interesting. Thanks for sharing. d.matheson@rogers.com

As a reader second to the characters, world-building is important to me especially in paranormal and urban fantasy books. I want a believable world even if it's not real. As long as I believe in it and enjoy being a part of it, I can focus on the story. I like the sound of the world you have created, full of magical beings.Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

I just received The Fire Lord's Lover and am loving it. I got my fingers crossed for The Lady of The Storm. Love your books Kathryne. I always connect so easily with your characters. Thanks for the opportunity.Carol LLucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Ah...things I love....my family....my grandsons.....my little dogs...and reading.... my greatest challenge is sometimes dealing with the youngest grandson....he has Ashpergers, and can definitely be a challenge to deal with at times....but he is the cutest, little guy I know...and always amazes me with the things he comes up with.... what a smart little mind....

My greatest challenge, as I think most would agree, is family. Love them to pieces, but some days.... just want to scream. :-) Next would be my love of books and reading. I keep everything I buy, so I have a whole room just of books, a couple thousand. This doesn't go over great with the husband, as he can see so many other uses for that room. So big challenge there. E-readers are great! (He can't tell how many I have!!) I love your stories! It is so easy to 'see' everything as it happens, like you are right there. Thanks!!

I love my big extended family, and being a leader to my Girl Scouts, and yes, all can be a big challenge at times, but are very worth it. I also love reading and enjoy your books very much. Thank-you for sharing your great writing talent with us.